Our series of NASCAR driver interviews continues with Hendrick Motorsports' Kasey Kahne, who is in his second year driving for the team. Kahne is seventh in the Sprint Cup Series standings heading to Martinsville Speedway.

Q: From what you've seen — and I know you don't have telemetry data on everyone — whose driving style is the most similar to yours?

A: It's hard to say unless you're teammates with everyone over the years. But as far as teammates go that I've been able to work with, I feel like it's Jimmie (Johnson). A lot of the things I say (about the car), I hear him say. Or he'll say something and I pick up on it and it makes a lot of sense to me. Other times, I don't pick up on that with other guys.

I know he's young, but just watching (Nationwide Series rookie) Kyle Larson so far, you see him searching on the racetrack a lot for grip or lines. I've always done a lot of that, and I don't feel like I see that with a ton of people as much as I've seen it with him. He's only a few races in, but I actually understand what he's doing, watching his races so far. As young as he is, it makes a lot of sense to me.

I watch other guys sometimes and what they're doing doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Not that it's wrong, but I just look at things differently. Maybe it's because of our backgrounds — Midgets and Sprint cars and things — but I think me and (Larson) are similar in some ways.

Q: Wow, well that's a pretty good sign for him.

A: Or a good sign for me!

Q: Do you collect any of your own memorabilia? Firesuits, helmets, diecasts, things like that?

A: I like saving helmets and firesuits. I have some old diecasts put away, but I like looking at old helmets and suits. At (Kasey Kahne Racing), we have just rows of suits and helmets I've been able to save over the years.

When I drove for Ray (Evernham), he always got a helmet, so I'd try to basically steal one every once in awhile. So I don't have as many helmets as I've worn over the years, but I have a good amount and some pretty cool ones.

Kasey Kahne won the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 17, 2013.(Photo: Wade Payne, AP)

Q: What percent of success in NASCAR is car, what percent is driver and what percent is luck?

A: I feel like if you don't have a good car, you can't win at this level. There's just no way you can, because the other guys have good cars. The car is such a huge part of it, luck is a small part of it and I think the driver is more about the communication — getting the car to where it's the best car, working with the crew chief.

In the race, I would say it's 70% car, 20% driver, 10% luck — but when you look at practice, driver/crew chief is like 50-50 and that's what makes your car. Then when you get in the race, it's all about your car.

Q: What person outside of your family has done the most for your career?

A: That's actually a really tough question. I'd have to say Steve Lewis. I raced his Midgets, and once I started racing for him, that's what opened the door with Richard Childress calling me, Ford Racing getting behind me, Ray Evernham eventually talking to me. But it all started with Steve Lewis.

Before that, I was racing for my dad and doing everything we could to that point. But once Steve Lewis put me in his car, he was kind of the guy that basically opened a lot of other doors.

Q: You come into contact with so many people during a race weekend — your team, sponsors, media, fans — and they all want a piece of your time. How do you decide what time to devote to each of those people?

A: I'd say Lisa (Hemphill, Kahne's manager) helps me a lot with that, just trying to make sure you don't miss anything, but also letting me do some of the things I enjoy and want to do. Lisa helps me the most with that.

It's figuring out when and where and who and how it all works. I used to get really worn out. By the end of the year, all I wanted to be done with racing for like two months. Then after two weeks, I'd want to be back in the car.

But since Lisa has been doing a lot with me (starting in 2010), I'd say now when the year is over I wish we were still racing. You just want to keep racing and we don't.

I'd say that has a lot to do with Hendrick Motorsports as well, but I think Lisa has done a really nice job of kind of putting a lot of that stuff in perspective and getting the right timing, and that's helped the entire season.

Q: Fans often ask drivers if they remember them from an autograph session a few years ago, so it's clear they want to be remembered. If a fan really wants to be remembered by you, what is something they could do to stand out?

A: Say that happens 10 times? I remember probably four or five. They'll be like, "Oh, you don't remember me." Well, actually I really do. I've signed dogs and done this and that, and I couldn't tell you who that person was. There's not always time to sit there and talk to someone.

But to me, when you actually do have time to sit and talk, whether it's a kid, a lady, a man, whoever it may be, you just hit on something — where they live, something to do with racing, something family-wise. That's when I remember the most.

I actually do remember though. Two or three years later, I'll be like, "Yeah, I remember you."

Q: The last guy you wrecked, did you do it on purpose?

A: Who was it? I just don't really remember wrecking anyone lately. I haven't been in the middle of much.

The last one I remember was Indianapolis (in 2007). Tony Raines pretty much wrecked me getting into the corner, so I just turned right – because I was already crashing. When his car disappeared, the wall was next. I plowed the wall harder than I was going to hit it – but I got us both.

I had to go to the NASCAR trailer for that one (laughs). That was two down.

Q: Who is someone you used to clash with, but now you get along with them just fine?

A: AJ Allmendinger.

Q: Really? You guys are better now?

A: When we first met, we were good. Liked each other, talked, whatever. Then when we were racing together as teammates, it kind of all went bad.

Over the last year, it seemed like it got better. Now, actually when I see him, I'm like, "What's up? How are you doing?" And he's the same.

There were other times before when he was like, "What's up?" to me and I'd walk on. Didn't want anything to do with him. And then it was the same the other way. I'd be like, "What's up?" to him and he'd basically blow me off.

So I'd say we started good, went to bad and it seems like we're back to good.

Q: What's the best racing-related movie?

A: Six Pack.

Q: Wow, you're the first person to say that this year.

A: Among the racing movies, that's the one I like the most. That's the one where they're racing dirt, right? With the kids? They start working on the cars. They steal the guy's motor and they try to make another guy not run.

Q: What's your song of the moment right now?

A: I like some stuff by Imagine Dragons. Hang on. (Runs to get phone) Here you go: On Top of the World, It's Time, Demons, Radioactive. Those are my last four downloads. (Plays songs to sample for interviewer)

Q: Define yourself without NASCAR. Who are you as a person?

A: I'm just kind of a pretty relaxed person who wants to have fun — whether it's with friends, family, hanging out with a girl and watching a movie. Whatever it may be, I enjoy relaxing.

Q: I've been asking each driver to give me a question for the next interview. Last week was Brian Scott, and he said Jimmie Johnson told him you beat him in triathlons strictly due to your natural running ability — and that Jimmie whoops you on the bike and in the swimming portion. Brian wanted to know whether that was true.

A: Jimmie's version is definitely right, and I understand that's my only shot to beat him, so I work hard at being better than I already am at running so I can catch back up. I'm usually behind, and then I catch back up late.

Q: And do you have a question for the next person? It's scheduled to be Kyle Busch.

A: What is your favorite part about being a NASCAR team owner?

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KASEY KAHNE'S THREE FAVORITE APPS

ScoreMobile: It's a big scoreboard for all sports. You can keep track of everything – records, stats, everything.

Race Monitor: I watch our World of Outlaws Sprint cars. You watch every lap time for the whole field, qualifying, best lap, how far each guy is behind. It has a bunch of other racing on there, too.

Strava Run: I like that a lot. It basically shows you the map, where you went, how long it took, what your best mile was, what your pace is, your hills, everything. It'll tell you if you broke your 5K record, 10K, whatever it may be.